1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates, generally, to gloves or mittens. More particularly, it relates to a structure that covers the thumb and two opposable fingers to keep them clean during meals that include edible items of the type that are smothered in juice, grease, and the like, and that are intended to be eaten without utensils.
2. Description of the Prior Art
Conventional gloves provide individual pockets for all five digits of a hand—the thumb and four fingers. Conventional mittens provide only two pockets—one for the thumb and a large one for all four fingers.
Neither a conventional glove nor a conventional mitten has utility in connection with the eating of so-called finger-foods (foods eaten while being held in the hand) that include high levels of juices or other viscuous substances.
Ribs and chicken wings are two such products—they are typically eaten without utensils. The diner must hold onto the wing, rib, or the like with the bare hand. The user's fingers and thumbs therefore become heavily coated with juices.
Cleaning the juices from the fingers and thumbs is problematic—conventional cloth or paper dry napkins are often inadequate. Pre-wetted napkins perform better.
Typically, a person who has eaten juicy finger foods is required to excuse themselves from the table and scrub their hands in a sink.
The problem with napkins, whether dry or wet, is that they must be initially held when the fingers are covered with juices. Accordingly, the napkin is soiled before it can be used. To clean the fingers and thumb of a first hand, the fingers and thumb of a second, grease-covered hand must be used to hold the napkin. Accordingly, the newly cleaned first hand must then grasp the soiled napkin and attempt to clean the digits of the second hand. This process can make the digits of the first hand dirty, requiring the process to be formed again.
The juicy finger-food problem could be imperfectly solved by supplying gloves or mittens to be worn by the diners. However, most people object to eating a meal while wearing conventional gloves or mittens.
The problem is particularly acute in restaurants or at formal catered events. The diners are often wearing clothing that is more expensive than their casual home attire. Moreover, the public nature of such events further increases the concerns of the diners concerning cleanliness. Many well-dressed, well-manicured people attending a public event where food is served might even decline to eat if the only foods served are juicy or greasy or otherwise observed to be messy.
What is needed, then, is an invention that enables people to consume juicy foods such as wings and ribs at formal restaurants and catered events while wearing formal attire and without reliance upon napkins or trips to a washroom.
However, in view of the prior art taken as a whole at the time the present invention was made, it was not obvious to those of ordinary skill in the art how such invention could be provided. It follows that it was not obvious how to provide such invention in a cost-effective way.